


Bitty's Beer League

by reeseplease



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, Jack being awkward, Jack didn't go to Samwell, M/M, some language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-17
Updated: 2017-05-04
Packaged: 2018-10-06 21:10:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10344624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reeseplease/pseuds/reeseplease
Summary: An AU where Jack didn't go to Samwell, but he still plays for the Falconers. Bitty's graduated college and works for a magazine writing articles, but in his free time he plays for an adult hockey league! One day he and Jack run into each other at Lardo's cafe. Jack is awkward. But he and Bitty have something in common: Hockey.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on a video I watched once, and I'll link it at the end of the fic, but I don't want to spoil anything so you'll have to wait :)

Bitty tapped his pencil against his desk as he stared at the clock on his computer. He generally didn’t mind his job, he mostly had great coworkers, his boss was nice enough, and, while he wasn’t the best at writing academically, writing for a magazine was so much easier for him. But it was Friday. And Bitty had recently joined and adult hockey league in his town, and they were playing tonight. 

Bitty sighed and went back to typing. He knew he didn’t have any motivation to write what he needed to, so he worked and reworked a paragraph until finally his clock hit 5 and he could escape. He was out the door before anyone could question why he was so happy. 

The rink was small. There were enough stands for probably 100 people. The lockers rooms had a permanent stench. The one zamboni looked like it was probably from when the rink first opened. But it was perfect. Bitty had practiced with the guys on his team for a few weeks, and today was the first real game against another league team. Bitty hadn’t been on the ice since he was at Samwell, but the second he was on his skates, he felt at home. Lardo had been the one to convince him to look for a local league to play in once they moved to Providence. He made a mental note to thank her again for that after the game. 

“Hey! Bittle! Ready to get on the ice?” An older player name Dave asked, patting Bitty on the shoulder.

“You bet! I can’t believe I waited this long to get back out on the ice…” Bitty said, grabbing his stick. 

“I can’t believe we have the 2017 NCAA champions captain on our team, Bittle, why didn’t you go pro?” Dave asked joking.

“Oh you know, I couldn’t live that NHL life, it’s too glamorous for a humble boy like me,” Bitty said, returning Dave’s laugh. 

 

The game itself was everything Bitty had hoped for. It reminded him of when he played coed hockey in high school. A lot of the guys in the league had normal day jobs so checking was kept to a minimum (and even though Bitty was better at checking, it still wasn’t his favorite), and there was absolutely no fighting. Bitty’s team won their game, and Bitty even got an assist. It was fun, but there was still something missing. Bitty felt guilty, but he missed the loud announcer, and the loud fans, and lights and sounds when someone scored. But it was something and Bitty had fun.

 

“Lardoooooo!” Bitty yelled as he walked into the apartment he shared with her. 

“Bitttttttsssss” he heard her yell back from presumably her room. 

“Thanks for pushing me to sign up for that league! I had loads of fun!” Bitty said, dumping his bag on the ground with a thud. 

“Oh god, Bitty, I’m so happy for you, but I thought I would never have to smell that awful smell again,” Lardo said walking into the living room, pinching her nose. 

“Sorry, Lards, I promise I’ll wash it right away. But how was the cafe tonight?” Bitty said.

“It was nice, Shits was working so that was fun, and- OH oh my god Bitty, you’ll never guess who came in today!” 

“You’re right because I’m not going to guess, just tell me.”

“Alexei Mashkov and Jack Zimmermann!” 

“You’re shitting me!” Bitty yelled turning to Lardo.

“Nope! They came in and ordered coffee, and I think Shitty might have scared Zimmermann, but Mashkov was really excited to meet fans. They said they liked the coffee, so I think they might come back.” 

“If they do, you HAVE to text me immediately. I want Mashkov to sign my jersey so badly, Lardo, so badly,” Bitty said flopping onto the couch and turning the TV on. He switched it to the local sports channel. The Falcs/Penguins game was on and Bitty laughed to himself. 

“What’s so funny Bits?”

“Sidney Crosby facing off against Jack Zimmermann? They look like twins. And Geno and Mashkov? They look related too, it’s just kinda funny.”

“Huh, I never noticed that.” Lardo settled in next to Bitty, and stuck her toes under his thigh. 

“I am going to be so sore tomorrow,” Bitty said, mostly to himself. 

 

_/•\\_

 

Bitty was in fact sore. He woke up and felt like every muscle in his body was screaming at him. Bitty wasn’t an unathletic guy, but since he got a weekday desk job, he hadn’t been working out as much, and wasn’t as active in general. Another reason he was thankful for this league. He rolled over to check his phone and cursed when he saw it was already 9:30. He was hoping to get up early and maybe go for a jog. Not that he would have felt up for it anyway. He sat up and heard his stomach growl loudly. He decided he was too sore and lazy to make breakfast and texted Lardo.

(Bitty): Heading ur way, chai latte pls. 

(Lardo): lol see you in ten

Bitty smiled, knowing that Lardo would have his drink ready for him. He wasn’t sure how he ended up with such an awesome best friend and roommate. He quickly got dressed and left his apartment, heading for Lardo’s art cafe. It had been Shitty’s idea, actually. Lardo was struggling to find a job that would interest her, and pay the bills. After being stuck at her barista job for three months, she decided that she wanted to open her own cafe. She liked the coffee, and making the drinks, and said it was almost like art itself. Shitty had encouraged the idea, but Lardo still felt like her degree was a waste. Bitty had assured her it wasn’t, but he was doing something within his degree so it felt hollow. Then Shitty suggested turning it into an art cafe. Kind of like those “get drunk and paint” places, but with coffee, and a lot more options. They have nightly classes with different age levels and experience levels. During the day, it serves as an art gallery, selling Lardo’s art, and anyone else who wants to try to sell their art. Within the first year, the cafe was close to actually turning a profit. It was pretty impressive, and Lardo was as happy as she ever was. 

Bitty smiled, thinking about the first day the cafe opened, and someone actually bought one of Lardo’s pieces almost immediately. It was a good day. He looked down at his phone, and opened up twitter. He was about to tweet something sappy about friendship when he saw Alexei Mashkov’s twitter account had posted a picture of a coffee cup in the foreground of a picture of one of Lardo’s paintings captioned with, “! Yummy coffee, pretty art )))))”. 

Bitty freaked out and took a screenshot. Once he arrived, he burst in and yelled, “Lardo, have you been on twitter?” 

“I’ve been working Bits,” Lardo said, handing him his chai latte. 

“Look!” Bitty shoved his phone in her face.

“Yo, shit, that’s pretty cool!” Lardo said, just as the door opened, “Speak of the devil.”

Bitty turned to see Jack Zimmermann and Alexei Mashkov walking towards the counter. Alexei was animated, talking to Jack who was listening with a smile on his face There was something different about this version of Jack, as opposed to the one Bitty had seen on TV during post game interviews. 

“Hello! Small mocha latte?” Alexei asked Lardo, who nodded.

“Sounds good, and you?” Lardo said turning to Jack.

He was still looking at the menu above the counter, “Uh, I’m not sure…”

“I recommend the chai latte, it’s what Bitty here has,” Lardo said, waving a hand at Bitty. Jack looked at the drink in his hand. 

“You can try it if you want?” Bitty finally managed to say, as though it was a question. 

Jack thought for a second before saying, “Thanks, but, I’ll take a chance on it. You seem like you have good taste.” Jack grinned, then turned to Lardo and ordered. 

Bitty took his drink and sat in his favorite chair. He tried not to stare at the two hockey players and pulled out his phone. He had pulled up a Buzzfeed article to focus on (they were competition, he needed to see how they were doing these days) but his focus kept drifting back to Jack and Alexei’s conversation behind him.

“I’m tell you Jack, you get the C next season.”

“Tater, I’m really all set with the A,” Jack said.

“But Marty is getting old, he leave soon. Then we get a C on the team. I’d vote for you,” Alexei said as a matter of fact.

“Well, if that happens I’ll gladly take it, but I don’t think it will,” Jack said with a chuckle.

“Drinks are up, boys! Enjoy,” Lardo said, handing the drinks over. 

Bitty busied himself with his phone again. Alexei and Jack walked by his spot and looked around. Bitty’s head was down, looking at his phone when he heard, “Excuse?”

He looked up to see Alexei standing there.

“Is okay if I use table for picture? I want to get art in background. So pretty, it makes for good post.”

“Of course! Feel free,” Bitty said, moving his feet off the coffee table. Alexei squatted to set the cup down and took a picture similar to the one Bitty had just shown Lardo. Then, to Bitty’s surprise, he sat down next to Bitty and Jack sat across from him. 

“You are friend of Larissa?” Alexei asked.

“Yep, we went to college together, and now we live together.”

“You are the baker!?” Alexei asked excitedly. 

Bitty must have looked confused because Jack spoke up.

“Larissa told us yesterday about you. We had some of the pie. She mentioned her roommate made it.”

“Oh! Yes, uh, that’s me!” Bitty said cheerfully. He set his phone down. 

“Falconers fan, eh?” Jack said nodding towards Bitty’s phone which had a Falcs case on it. Bitty blushed. 

“Gotta root for the home team. And since Georgia doesn’t have hockey, Providence will have to work,” Bitty said.

“No Dallas Stars?” Alexei asks teasing. 

“Ha, Texas isn’t the most supportive of people like me, so I try to avoid the state in general,” Bitty said, rolling his eyes. Then he realized what he said and his eyes widened.

“Stars are not having a good season anyway,” Alexei said casually while shrugging. 

Bitty was relieved, but noticed that Jack looked slightly uncomfortable. Bitty decided to change the subject.

“So, you guys like Lardo’s art?” Bitty asked looking at the painting on the wall. 

“Lardo?” Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, uh, Larissa, I mean. That’s her painting.”

Alexei looked at the painting and then at the counter. There weren’t any customers, and Lardo was cleaning some mugs.

“Larissa!” He said excitedly, towards the counter.

Lardo looked up and tilted her head.

“This is your painting?”

Lardo just nodded, confused.

“How much?” Alexei asked, standing up to walk towards Lardo. Alexei and Lardo start talking about the painting and what it represents, and Bitty turns back realizing that he’s alone with Jack now.

“Do you like the Chai?” Bitty asked after an awkward silence. Jack looked like he was surprised by Bitty’s words. 

“Oh, uh, yeah, it’s not back. Like I said you have good taste,” Jack said, then immediately took a sip of his drink while making a face that Bitty couldn’t decipher. 

Bitty wasn’t sure what else to say, he felt like he had somehow just made Jack uncomfortable. He was sitting fairly rigid, avoiding Bitty’s eyes, so Bitty decided not to try again and run the risk of embarrassing himself even more. He reached for his phone, hoping for a distraction, when Alexei comes back.

“I bought it! It stays here for a few more weeks though,” Alexei said looking at the painting, smiling. 

“It’ll look good in the living room, Tates, it kinda matches you’re ridiculous throw pillows,” Jack said, visibly relaxing with Alexei’s presence. 

“My pillows are wonderful,” Alexei said proudly, “Oh but we have to leave, yes?” 

Jack looked at his watch and nodded, “Oh, yeah we do. Thanks for letting us sit with you… Bitty?” 

Bitty blushed, “Eric. Bittle. But yeah, you can call me Bitty. And no problem. Enjoy your Chai latte.”

“Bye little Baker!” Alexei said on his way out the door. 

 

Bitty sat in silence for a few seconds before Lardo walked over. 

“That was cool,” Lardo said smiling at Bitty.

“Alexei bought your painting! That’s amazing, Lards.”

“Bitty, he paid WAY too much for it. He wrote me a check, and it feels like a weight in pocket right now,” Lardo said chewing on her lip.

“How much did he pay?” 

“$2000. And he said I could leave it up until I get a piece to replace it on the wall,” Lardo said, unable to hide her excitement. 

“Wow, that’s amazing,” Bitty said smiling. He was genuinely excited for Lardo, and that was a lot of money, but he was still a little sad that he made such a terrible impression with Jack. 

“You seemed to have made a few new friends huh?” Lardo asks, looking at Bitty with a knowing look. 

“I think I made Jack uncomfortable. I made a comment about Texas not accepting people like me, and he became kinda weird? But he said bye to me so I don’t know, maybe I was being an obvious fanboy. I also forgot to ask Alexei for an autograph,” Bitty said shaking his head.

“Jack just seems like he’s a little awkward, I don’t think it was you. I wouldn’t worry. Also, I’m sure that they’ll be back,” Lardo said sympathetically.

“Right, Alexei has to pick up his new art,” Bitty said with a grin, feeling a little better. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a smaller chapter than the last, but things happen in it, so enjoy!  
> Also very poorly edited sorry for any mistakes.

The rest of the week was so busy that Bitty mostly forgot about the awkward situation with Jack. Work was busy, a few big news stories broke that week, including one that Bitty published about LGBT rights on campus. Everyone was trying to work to get their articles out before sites like Buzzfeed, which meant everyone was on edge.  

Bitty was busy after work, too. The hockey team had two practices that week, he helped Lardo out at the cafe one night when Shitty’s car broke down, and he had an interview for a different news story one night. By Friday, Bitty had only one thing on his mind: his next game. 

He woke up Friday morning extra early to try to get a jog in before he had to go to work. As soon as he was outside, he regretted his decision. The air was chilly and Bitty frowned, but pushed on. He was already up, so might as well use his time wisely. He put on Beyonce to distract himself from the cold, and set off. He was really getting into the song, and wasn’t really paying attention to his surroundings so he didn’t see a person around the corner when he turned until it was too late. He tried to move out of the way to avoid colliding into them, but in doing so, he ended up falling on his ass. 

“Shit! Sorry!” The person said. 

Bitty looked up to see Jack standing over him, reaching a hand out to help him.

“Oh! Bitty, right?” Jack said pulling him up.

“Yes-uh, yeah, hi! Sorry,” Bitty stuttered out trying to orient himself. 

“Nice morning for a run, eh? I’m surprised we’ve never run into each other before,” Jack said as Bitty brushed himself off. 

“Oh, yeah, haha, I generally don’t run this early. Or ever. I just have a game tonight and felt like I should at least go for a jog…”

“A game?” 

“I-uh-am part of the local adult hockey league.” Bitty suddenly felt a little embarrassed talking about his fairly amatuer hockey club to a famous NHL star. 

“Oh! Well good luck tonight!” Jack said smiling. He seemed much less awkward than at the cafe, and Bitty relaxed. 

“Thanks, Jack. I should probably get going though, I don’t want to be late for work!” 

“Right of course. Keep your head up, eh?” Jack said teasing.

“You too, Mr. Zimmermann.” Bitty was about to run off when he heard Jack shout out his name. 

“Yeah?” Bitty said turning around. 

Jack was shifting on his feet, “Uh, I was wondering, can I have your number?”

Bitty was taken by surprise and didn’t react right away. It was definitely not what he expected Jack to say. 

“I just, uh, I thought maybe we could run together sometime. It’s a good habit for hockey players,” Jack tried to explain, looking down at his hands, and there was a hint of a blush on his face. 

“Of course you can have my number!” Bitty said, finally finding his voice. Jack smiled again, and Bitty put his number in Jack’s phone, then with a quick goodbye, they were both on their way. When Bitty finally got to work, he checked his phone on the way inside to see a text from a new number that read, “Hey! It’s Jack. Have a good day at work, and good luck at your game :).” Bitty smiled, saved the number, and walked into the building. 

  
_/•\\_

 

Bitty shoved his gear in his bag aggressively after the game. He was in an awful mood. Work ended up being awful. Someone had stolen Bitty’s article idea, and presented it as their own in the staff meeting, leaving Bitty with nothing. He didn’t have anything to pitch, and his manager chewed him out in front of everyone. Now he needed to find a new topic and write something worth reading in a week and he wasn’t prepared for that. He was so relieved when he finally got off work, and could head to the game. Some of the older guys warned him beforehand that the team they were playing was rough, but Bitty wasn’t prepared for the beating he got. He got checked into the boards a few times, and definitely harder than necessary. A few times, the other team checked guys no where near the puck. The only good news is that the refs were paying attention, and they other team took a lot of penalties. Bitty’s team did win, 1-0, but he felt awful. 

“You ok Eric?” Dave asked, resting a hand on Bitty’s shoulder. He was the captain of the team, and Bitty had talked to him briefly about his history with checking in case anything ever happened on the ice.

“I’m fine. I’m mostly just sore, honestly,” Bitty said with a tired smile, “Thanks for asking.”

Dave gave him a nod, and walked over to his gear. Bitty sighed and grabbed his phone to see if Lardo had answered his “This game SUCKED” text when he saw he had a message from Jack.

(Jack): Run tomorrow?

Bitty chewed on his lip in thought. He really wanted to hang out with Jack, he hadn’t really expected him to actually text, but he was so sore there was no way he was going to be able to run tomorrow morning. 

(Eric): Sorry, I had a rough game, I don’t think my body will let me go on a run tomorrow morning :( rain check?

Bitty went back to properly putting his gear back in his bag, not expecting a response. Jack was a professional athlete and a busy person. So, he was surprised when his phone buzzed a few seconds later with a message from Jack.

(Jack): Oh no! I hope you’re not too beat up. How about lunch instead?

Bitty’s heart skipped a beat. Up to this point he was assuming Jack was just being nice to a fan. But now he was actually asking Bitty to have lunch with him. Bitty tried not to get too excited over the possible implications. 

(Eric): I could do lunch! When/where?

(Jack): 12:30? And I figured we could eat at my place if you’re okay with that? Strict diet 

(Eric): That works for me!

Jack send Bitty his address with a “:)” and they set the plans. 

 

As soon as Bitty walked into his apartment, Lardo met him in her duckling onesie holding a pint of Ben and Jerry’s. 

“I’m sorry work was awful and that your game also sucked,” Lardo said handing Bitty the ice cream. As Bitty walked further into the room, Lardo watched him. 

“You look happier than I would expect…”

“Jack texted me,” Bitty said. 

“Jack who?” Lardo said, not understanding. 

“Jack Zimmermann. I ran into him this morning while on a jog and he kinda asked for my number? So that we could run together,” Bitty said shrugging. 

“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier!” 

“I was distracted by my shitty day at work! I just... forgot.” 

Lardo laughed, “Ok, so what did Mr. Jack Zimmermann say?” 

Bitty pulled out his phone and let Lardo read his text conversation with Jack while he started eating the ice cream.

“Holy shit, you have a date with Jack fucking Zimmermann,” Lardo said, handing Bitty’s phone back. 

“It’s not a date, Lardo, he’s probably just being nice.”

“You’re having lunch with him. In his apartment. With just you and him. Sounds like a date to me,” Lardo said shrugging with a smug smile. 

“It’s not a date,” Bitty said less convincingly. 

“Ok...” Lardo walked off to sit on the couch leaving Bitty wondering. “Come here and tell me about work though.” 

Bitty sat down next to Lardo and started talking about his shitty coworker, happy he had such a wonderful roommate.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Not Date

Bitty was standing, pie in hand, outside Jack Zimmermann’s door. He was trying to gather the nerve to knock and finally raised his hand. A few seconds later he heard a shuffle noise and the door opened. Jack was standing there with a button down and jeans. Bitty felt relieved, wearing a similar outfit, still unsure if he was actually on a date.

“I brought a pie. Uh. You mentioned you liked it the other day? And I didn’t want to come empty handed,” Bitty said talking quickly.

“It looks wonderful, thank you. You can put in on the counter if you want. I hope you like chicken?” Jack said, as Bitty walked into the apartment. It was a nice apartment, but it felt a little empty, as if it were obviously a temporary situation. 

“Chicken is great, thanks.” Bitty watched as Jack walked into the kitchen and put down the pie. There was a counter with bar stools in the kitchen area that Jack had set up dishes on, forgoing the more formal dining table. Bitty took this as a sign that this was a more casual situation, not a date. He sat on the stool and waiting for Jack to talk. Jack sat across from Bitty, on the other side of the counter, and looked at Bitty. There was an awkward silence for a fraction of a second before they both spoke at the same time. 

“How did-”

“So this is-”

They both stopped and laughed before Bitty said, “You go first.” 

“I was just going to ask how your game went?” Jack asked. 

“Oh! It was, well it wasn’t the greatest to be perfectly honestly. I haven’t played since college, and the other team was pretty rough. And after a bad day at work, I wasn’t super happy with the game,” Bitty admitted.

“I’m sorry, that sounds… eh, not fun,” Jack said, “Where did you play in college?” 

“Samwell! I was actually the captain my senior year,” Bitty said sheepishly. 

“My mom graduated from Samwell, if things hadn’t worked out the way they did with the Falcs, I probably would have gone, too. I hear it’s a great team.”

“It was the best group of people I’ve ever known, honestly. They’re all so supportive of each other,” Bitty responded.

Jack asked more about Bitty’s college team, and his job, and Bitty asked Jack about his team. The conversation was natural, and he could feel himself relaxing. Jack was easy to talk to, and easy to listen to. There was a moment when Jack was talking about his team that Bitty wasn’t sure how to respond. He was talking about how comfortable they made him feel right away, which in turn made him feel better on the ice. 

“I knew they were all really great, but I was still nervous to come out to them. It was actually Georgia, the Assistant GM, I told first, and she told me not to worry about telling the rest of the team. I’m glad I did it, too. I don’t feel like I have to hide who I am as much, even if it’s still not public knowledge,” Jack said, carefully. He didn’t look up from his plate right away. 

Bitty paused, unsure how to react at first. After a beat, he spoke up.

“That’s so nice. I remember coming out to my team too, it was the most challenging thing I had done. I stopped actively hiding my sexuality after that, and I don’t regret it, but man, I wish that college sports journalists had asked me more about games and not ‘how does it feel to be the first openly gay NCAA hockey captain?’ because really? I didn’t feel like anything specially?” Bitty said, re-remembering the annoyance of only being asked about being gay. 

“Wait, Eric Bittle, you were captain when Samwell took the NCAA championship a few years back?” Jack asked, as if only then putting the pieces together. 

“Oh, yeah,” Bitty said, looking down at his food. He hated talking about it, because more often than not the discussion went the same way as the interviews, “I’m surprised that you follow college hockey.”

“Well, since my mom went to Samwell I kept tabs. I got a little invested, so I’ll check how the team’s doing near finals,” Jack said shrugging, then he added, “You’re a good player.” 

Bitty blushed, and said quietly, “Thanks.”

 

They kept talking for a while, until they both had finished their food and couldn’t pretend to be picking at it anymore. Jack grabbed the dishes and brought them over to the sink. Bitty followed him, not wanting to be a rude house guest.

“Bitty, you don’t have to help me wash dishes,” Jack said with a chuckle as Bitty rolled his sleeves up and grabbed a sponge. 

“My mother would kill me if she ever found out I didn’t at least try to help,” Bitty said paying more attention to the dishes than Jack. He hadn’t said anything in response so Bitty looked over at Jack. He was looking back at him with a soft smile, and Bitty felt butterflies in his stomach.

“Jack, is this, I mean, I don’t want to sound forward, but is this-”

“A date?” Jack interrupted. 

Bitty, nervous for the answer, just silently nodded. 

“I was hoping it was,” Jack said, his turn to be timid, “I wanted to ask for your number at the cafe last week, but I chickened out…  Do you want it to be a date?”

“Yes, I- yes. Oh gosh, I’m blushing aren’t I?” Bitty asked, his face bright red.

Jack smiled, “Yeah, but it’s cute.” 

They finished the dishes and Bitty unwrapped the pie he brought. It hadn’t occurred to him until that moment that the reason Jack had given for eating at his own place was his diet. He had a suspicion that it was only partially the reason, but suddenly he felt bad for bringing a pie for a hockey player on a strict diet.

“That looks delicious, Bits,” Jack said.

“Thanks! It’s a classic apple, I figured it was an American classic, uh, I hope you can eat it? I don’t want your nutritionist to hate me…” Bitty said, only half kidding.

“Haha, I can have a slice, what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her. Also I’m Canadian,” Jack said, confusing Bitty. Jack must have seen the confusion because he explained, “Apple is great, and it is an American classic, but I’m Canadian.”

Bitty laughed as Jack grinned at his not quite a joke. He cut two slices of pie, and they sat back down at the counter, but this time Jack sat next to Bitty. He felt like if Jack listened hard enough, he could probably hear Bitty’s heart beating loudly in chest. He watched as Jack took and bite of the pie and made a noise that could probably have been taken as inappropriate out of context. 

“Bitty, this is amazing,” Jack said, before taking another bite. 

“I’m glad. I’ve been working on perfecting that crust recipe since… as long as I can remember,” Bitty replied. 

They sat in silence for a minute, enjoying the pie, when suddenly Bitty’s phone rang. He looked to see that Lardo was calling him. 

“I’m sorry, it’s Lardo, she wouldn’t be calling if it weren’t important,” Bitty said, standing up to answer.

“Hey, Bits, I’m so sorry to call I know you’re on you’re not date, but the cafe is crazy, and Chow just cut his hand and Nursey passed out, so Dex had to take Chowder to the ER and oh, hold on- I’LL BE RIGHT THERE SORRY!- Bitty is there anyway you can come in to help me out?” Lardo sounded on the verge of tears, and Bitty knew he was going to help her. 

“Of course Lardo, I’ll be over in like ten minutes, just hang in there,” Bitty said. 

“Ok, ok, thank you, I have to go, but thank you so much!” Lardo said before hanging up. 

Bitty walked back over to Jack, who must have heard Bitty’s side of the conversation. He had wrapped the pie back up, and put the dishes away.

“I’m so sorry, Lardo’s alone at the cafe, something happened to one the employees, I have to go,” Bitty said, frowning. 

“No worries, I understand, uh, I’ll text you?” Jack said, and Bitty quickly grabbed his jacket and his keys. 

“That would be great, again, I’m so sorry, this was lovely, thank you for lunch,” Bitty said, shoving his shoes back on his feet. 

“Good luck at the cafe!” Jack yelled as Bitty flew out the door.

“Thanks!” 

 

_/•\\_

 

“Bitty you’re a lifesaver, honestly,” Lardo said, after finally locking the door. Dex had come back a few hours later once Chowder was home with his new stitches, but it was still crazy so Bitty had stuck around all day. 

“No problem, Lardo,” Bitty said.

“No seriously, I know you were on your not date, I felt so bad,” Lardo said, sitting down for probably the first time in hours. “How was that by the way?” 

“Ah, it was great, it started off awkward, but my rambling seemed to help Jack open up a bit. Uhm, also, it, uh, was actually a date,” Bitty said, not looking at Lardo, knowing that she had a smug I told you so smile on her face. 

“My little Bitty! On a date! With a pro athlete no less!” Lardo said, placing her hand on her heart. 

“Ok, I’m taller than you,” Bitty said laughing. 

“Wait, Bitty you were on a date?” Dex said walking out from behind the counter, “Is that why your phone has like 400 texts from a… Jack?” Dex was holding Bitty’s phone, which he had left under the counter when he came in. He had been so busy he forgot about it.

“Oh. Probably. Gimme,” Bitty said, holding out his hand. Dex smirked and handed him the phone. He saw he had a bunch of texts from Jack, and frowned. 

(Jack): I had fun today. Maybe we could do it again soon?

(Jack): Also I have a home game this Thursday, I could get you and your roommate tickets if you want? You could get passes for the locker room after too. No pressure though. 

(Jack): Tater say if you come, bring pie ))))

(Jack): Sorry, Tater took my phone. You don’t need to bring pie. But you can if you want :)

Bitty read the texts and laughed. Lardo watched as Dex said goodbye and left, leaving Bitty smiling at his phone, and Lardo smiling at him. 

“So?” Lardo asked.

“He, ah, invited us to his game Thursday night,” Bitty said, “And apparently Tater wants pie. Are you interested?”

“I’d love to go Bits, but with Chowder’s hand out of commission and Dex going home for his birthday, I can’t take the night off. We have a kids paint night,” Lardo said apologetically. 

“It’s not weird to go alone is it?” Bitty asked, unsure of his next move.

“Definitely not, Bits, you gotta go support your boy,” Lardo said with a wink.

Bitty nodded and looked back as his phone to answer.

 

(Eric): Sorry it took so long to answer! But I had a great time today too. And I’d love to go to your game. Lardo can’t go though, so it’ll just be me. 

Bitty put his phone away, and turned to Lardo. 

“Deets, boy, tell me about the date while we close,” Lardo said, as they both began cleaning up the cafe. Bitty laughed, but complied. 

 

Bitty didn’t check his phone again until he finally got home an hour and half later. He had another text from Jack.

(Jack): Just one ticket and pass then?

(Eric): Yessir. It’s not weird to go alone is it?

(Jack): Haha, it’s not weird. 

(Eric): Good :). No chance you have some time to get some coffee sometime before the game?

(Jack): Tuesday after 3?

(Eric): i have work until 5, could we meet at 5:30?

(Jack): I can do that. I have to go, but I’ll talk to you later?

(Eric): Of course :)


	4. Chapter 4

Thursday had come faster than Bitty could have hoped. He and Jack had gone to the cafe on Tuesday and ended up taking part in Lardo’s free paint night, where people paid a fee and were allowed to either follow along with Lardo’s instructions or paint what they wanted. Jack and Bitty had been pretty conservative, not wanting to look too much like they were on a date in public, but Bitty had had more fun than he had in while. Jack and Bitty had left together, and before Bitty could say goodbye, Jack quickly kissed him. It wasn’t deep, and it wasn’t long, but it was perfect.  And now Bitty was on his way to see Jack play. Jack hadn’t texted him all morning, but he assumed Jack was busy with hockey stuff, so he wasn’t too worried. He sent of a quick good luck text, and moved on. 

When Bitty got his Will Call tickets, he was surprised to see how nice the seats were. He figured he should have known they weren’t going to be bad seats, but he hadn’t ever been to an NHL game, and he never expected that he would be able to see it this way. The usher lead him to his spot and he sat down next to two vacant chairs. There were a few older people sitting around him, and they were all wearing Falcs jersey’s or at least something with the Falconer’s colors on it. All Bitty had with him was his phone case, he didn’t feel right wearing a Mashkov jersey to see Jack play. He figured if he cheered for the Falcs, then people around him would know who he was rooting for. Not that it mattered. But still. Bitty was nervous. 

Bitty was looking through his Twitter feed when he heard someone speaking French behind him. He had never really done well in French, just barely passing in college, and had no idea what the man was saying, but then he heard a woman say “Honey, this is the wrong row. That’s why there’s someone in ‘your’ seat.” A moment later, the same woman walked up to Bitty and said, “Excuse me, hon, I think we’re sitting next to you today.” 

Bitty looked up to see Alicia and Bob Zimmermann standing in front of him. He stood up to let them by.

“Thank you,” Bob said smiling as he took the seat next to Bitty. He looked so similar to Jack, there was no mistaking who he was.

“Welcome,” Bitty managed to squeak out before sitting back down. He quickly grabbed his phone and sent Lardo a text.

(Eric): LARDO JACKS PARENTS ARE SITTING NEXT TO ME HELP

(Lardo): Lol rip good luck

(Eric): >:(

“You are rooting for the Falcs, right son?” Bob said leaning towards Bitty, who was startled. It wasn’t until then that he realized his shirt was a soft green, the color of the Schooners, the team the Falcs were playing. 

“Oh, Bob, leave him alone, he’s allowed to cheer for whatever team he wants,” Alicia said, slapping at Bob’s arm.

“I didn’t realize I was wearing green, but I am rooting for the Falcs, actually,” Bitty said with a nervous laugh.

“Good good, we’ll get along then. Don’t come to games often do you?” Bob asked, trying to make conversation. 

“Actually, this is my first,” Bitty said politely. 

“Oh! You’re going to love it! I might be a little bias, though, you know…” Bob trailed off.

“Being Bad Bob and all?” Bitty finished, and Bob nodded while laughing. 

“So you do know who I am. I wasn’t sure. Usually people I sit near ask for an autograph immediately. Then ask for Jack’s,” Bob said looking annoyed briefly, but a smile returning to his face almost immediately. 

“I wouldn’t want to bother you with that. And, to be honest, I would probably ask for Alicia’s autograph before yours, sir,” Bitty said.

Bob and Alicia both laughed in response, and Bitty was relieved. 

“I like this kid, Alicia,” Bob said, still smiling.

“Me too,” Alicia laughed along, “What’s your name?”

“Eric Bittle,” Bitty said, as Bob and Alicia took turns to shake his hand. 

“Nice to meet you Eric. So, do you play at all, or just like to watch?” Alicia asked, and Bitty had a feeling she recognized his name from Samwell, like Jack had before. 

“I played in college for Samwell, and now I play in a adult league in town after work. It’s loads of fun, I missed playing,” Bitty said smiling. They chatted a little about what position he played, who he watched as a kid, and his time at Samwell. Finally, the teams came out on the ice to warm up and they paused for a moment. Bitty watched and Bob and Alicia looked for Jack on the ice. He looked up towards them and then frowned. Jack shook it off and then gave him a strained smile. He smiled back, unsure if Jack could even really see. 

“So, honey, are you here alone?” Alicia asked, noticing the seat next to him was empty. 

“Oh, yeah, well, um.” Bitty struggled to decide how to tell them Jack had invited him after their date, because it seemed obvious at this point that they hadn’t heard anything about him yet. Finally he decided to just bite the bullet.

“Well, Jack actually invited me and my roommate, but she couldn’t come, so it’s just me!” Bitty said with fake cheeriness to cover how awkward he felt.

“Our Jack?” Bob asked, clearly surprised. 

“Yes?” Bitty said, unsure of who else he could have meant. 

“That’s great! Don’t tell him this, but I was worried he didn’t have any friends outside the team. Not that it’s a bad thing, but it’s nice to know people outside of the NHL,” Bob said, with a big smile on his face. He was looking towards Jack again as he spoke. 

Bitty wasn’t sure if he should mention they went on a date. Jack was out to his team, but that didn’t necessarily mean he was out to his parents. Lord knows it took Bitty a long time to be able to tell his own parents. 

Bitty was pondering what to say next when he was interrupted by an usher.

“Eric Bittle?”

“That’s me,” Bitty said, confused.

“Here’s your pass for the locker room. After the game ends, you can wait here and-”

“Actually, Alicia and I can lead him to the lockers. We’re heading that way after the game as well,” Bob said interrupting the man.

“Oh! Of course, Mr. Zimmermann. Thank you,” the man said, and then left. 

“You must know Jack pretty well, if he invited you to the lockers after, I’m surprised I haven’t heard of you before,” Bob said, with a knowing smile. 

“Oh, well, we just met a few weeks ago. Uhm, then he invited me over for lunch, and we kinda hit it off?” Bitty was very nervous, unsure of if he had said too much.

“Bitty is short for Bittle,” Alicia said, the connection clicking in her head, “ Oh my goodness I feel so silly. Jack has mentioned you, but he called you Bitty.”

“Jack’s a pretty private person,” Bob said as a way of explanation. 

Before Bitty could respond, the lights went down and the opening to the game began. The three sat in relative silence while the teams were introduced, cheered extra loud when they said Jack’s name, and waited for the puck drop. They were mostly quiet during the plays except for the occasional comments about the plays, or cheering. During one of the media breaks, Alicia turned towards Bitty and said, “So you played for Samwell, you don’t happen to be the Eric Bittle that brought his team to win the playoffs a few years ago, are you?” 

Bitty laughed, “Yeah, that’s me.”

“You’re a good player, I wish I could have gone to some games when you were playing. That was a great team,” Bob said, making Bitty blush.

“How’s your beer league doing?” Alicia asked.

“We’ve only had two games so far, but we have another one tomorrow. So far, I’m enjoying it. It does make me feel a little old though, and I’m definitely not where I was in college,” Bitty said with a laugh. 

“Oh, honey, our flight home isn’t until Saturday, we should go!” Alicia said, tapping Bob’s arm.

“Wait, to my game?” Bitty asked, surprised.

“Yeah! Unless that would make you uncomfortable, hon. It’s just nice to see people playing the sport they love, you know?” Alicia said.

“I would love for you to come, and I’m sure the rest of my team would love it too,” Bitty said, not really believing what was happening. 

“Great!” Bob said, just as the game got going again. 

 

The last period was a lot rougher than the first two. Bitty had watched enough games on T.V. to know that the Falcs were not at their best that night, and the Schooners were giving them a run for their money. The game was tied 1-1 going into the third and it was a hard fought battle until Jack got away with the puck. He was heading towards the Schooner’s net, but one of their D-men was gaining on him quickly, and in a last minute decision, Jack shot the puck too early and too wide. It was immediately snagged by a Schooner who was able to score. Jack didn’t look happy. Once he made it to the bench, he threw one of his gloves on the ground and dropped his head into his hands. Bitty could see this was hitting him hard, and wished he could do something about it. 

Bob and Alicia were quiet, but they had worry in their eyes as the game ended with a 2-1 win for the Schooners in regulation. They all watched quietly as the teams went back to the locker rooms. 

“Is he uh…” Bitty wasn’t sure what to say next. 

“He’s a hard worker, but sometimes he lets it get to him a bit. He’ll be ok, I think,” Alicia said, not super convincingly. 

Bitty nodded as he wondered if he should go back to the locker rooms, or let Jack decompress from a rough game. He was given an answer a few seconds later when he got a text from Jack that said “Busy with reporters. You probably shouldn’t come back here.” Bitty felt a pang of sadness, but he knew how it felt after losing a big game, especially when your parents are watching. It sucks. 

“I think I should probably just head home, it was nice meeting you two,” Bitty said before turning to leave.

“Wait! Eric, can we exchange information? I really would be interested in seeing you play,” Alicia said.

Bitty nodded and they traded phone numbers. He felt odd having Jack’s mother’s number already, but he also wasn’t about to turn down the opportunity. 

“It was lovely meeting you, and really don’t worry about Jack, he just needs some time to recover,” Bob said, resting a hand on Bitty’s shoulder.

Bitty had a suspicion that Bob knew what Jack had sent him, and was thankful for the comment. 


	5. Chapter 5

“You better thank Shitty for this,” Lardo said walking to the small ice rink with Bitty, “If he didn’t say yes to working tonight, I’d be stuck there still.” 

“I know! And I have thanked him, and I will again. I’m really excited to have you here,” Bitty said with a sly smile. He hadn’t told Lardo that Bob and Alicia were planning on attending his game. He had told her everything else about the night, and that he had met them, but wanted to keep this little detail a surprise. Alicia Zimmermann was Lardo’s favorite designer and model, and she had made a joke about meeting her after Bitty’s first date with Jack. Now Bitty was making it happen. 

“Has he talked to you at all today?” Lardo asked quietly, noticing Bitty fiddling with his phone.

“No. The team’s heading out on a roadie this week, and you know how it is. I just hope I didn’t do anything wrong, you know?” Bitty said, sighing. He never heard back from Jack after the game, and was hoping he would hear something that day while at work. Even if it was a rejection or something. He tried to ignore the anxious feeling in his stomach, and focused on the text from Bob he had just received saying they were at the rink.

“Hey, Lardo, wait here for a sec with my gear? I have some friends I need to go meet outside,” Bitty said with a grin.

“I’m not your manager anymore, Bits. But fine,” Lardo said with exaggerated annoyance.

Bitty ran out and met Bob and Alicia. They were both dress far more casually than the night before, Bob wearing a black Samwell sweatshirt and jeans, and Alicia in flannel and jeans. Alicia somehow always looked amazing. 

“Lardo might freak out a little when she sees you, Alicia, she may or may not have a poster of you in the apartment,” Bitty said leading them in. 

 

The second Lardo saw Alicia, she dropped Bitty’s bag. It was exactly the reaction he was hoping for and he smiled.

“Alicia, Bob, this is my roommate Lardo, Lards, Alicia and Bob,” Bitty said giving a small introduction, “Now if you excuse me, I have to go get ready for the game!” 

 

_/•\\_

 

Bitty’s game was much better than the last one. He felt like he was connecting with his linemates much better, and the other team actually followed the rules of the league. They lost, but Bitty felt good. The entire time he was on the bench he could see Bob, Alicia, and Lardo having a good time and cheering for his team. Bitty smiled to himself, but there was still the nagging at the back of his mind telling him to worry about Jack. 

After the game, Bitty met back up with Bob and Alicia.

“That was so much fun, and no one bothered me, it’s great to be able to watch hockey like this,” Bob said, clapping Bitty on the shoulder, “It was so fun to see you play!” 

“Thanks,” Bitty said, blushing, “Uh thanks for coming. It’s nice to have people cheering in the crowds too, I know the rest of the guys like it too. Usually we only have a wife or two watching.”

“Of course, it was so much fun,” Alicia turned to Bob, “We should do this kind of thing more often.” 

Bob nodded in agreement before they all said their goodbyes. Lardo thanked them for sitting with her, and Bitty thanked them again for coming. Before Bob turned to leave, he pulled Bitty in a bit closer and asked quietly, “Has Jack talked to you at all?”

Bitty bit his lip before answering, “Not since yesterday.” 

Bob nodded slowly, then spoke, “Oh, just. Give him time, eh?” 

Bitty nodded as Bob walked. He wasn’t sure what that meant. Had Bob and Jack talked about him? Or was Bob just hoping Jack would come around? He was lost in thought when Lardo snapped him out of it.

“You ok, Bits?” 

“I’m just thinking about Jack.”

Lardo pulled Bitty into a hug, “Don’t stress it ok? He’ll text you back or he won’t. If he doesn’t he’s an idiot, but we’ll get some ice cream and move on, yeah?” 

Bitty smiled and hugged Lardo back, “Thanks Lards.”

 

_/•\\_

 

Wednesday night rivalries were Bitty and Lardo’s favorite hockey nights. Most of the time the teams playing on NBCSN were not a team that either of them cared about, so it made for a casual night of hockey, pizza, and wine. This weeks rivalry was Toronto and Buffalo, neither of which were teams that Lardo or Bitty particularly cared for. Lardo and Bitty were snuggled up in their respective onesies watching the two teams battle it out. 

It had been a week and a half since Bitty had heard from Jack, and he knew Jack was home from his roadie by now. He had had a few nights of tears and ice cream, but he figured it wasn’t the worst rejection. He got a free NHL game out of it, too. So Bitty was surprised when he felt a little hurt at the mention of Jack’s name during the intermission reports. 

“The Falconers, just getting home from a week long road trip to the west, have been working on regaining some of their lead in the standings. With the playoffs approaching quickly, it’s important for the team to bounce back from their disappointing road trip. They came home with only one overtime win, and more than their share of losses,” One female reporter said before turning to another reporter.

“Yeah, Cheryl, honestly, it was a rough week for the boys. Mashkov’s injury in the first game, and Zimmermann’s poor performance, the week was destined to be a failure. Zimmermann started off his career with the Falcs great, but it seems as if he might be losing his steam. I hate to compare him to his father, but Bad Bob’s career looked a lot stronger this early on. I do wonder when he will get out of this slump. They have a game tomorrow, and I’ll be interested to see his performance,” the man ended with a nod, and the camera went back to the woman. 

Bitty sat in silence, staring at the screen. He had only been on two real dates with Jack, and had spent less than a week really talking to him, but his heart ached for him. The way that reporters talk about players as if they aren’t humans with feeling always bothered Bitty, but it was even worse when he knew the person. 

“Bits?” Lardo was staring at him. 

“Hm?” 

“He’s a professional, I’m sure… He’ll be ok,” Lardo said, leaning over and resting her head on Bitty’s shoulder.

“Yeah, right. Of course,” Bitty said, thankful that Lardo seemed to know him so well. 

  
  
_/•\\_

 

Bitty was sitting at his desk, with his head down. He was still a little behind on his workload and was approved to stay late, so while he was typing up his latest think piece, he had the Falcs game on his phone resting against his computer monitor. He wasn’t really paying attention, but after the sports report the night before,he was a little curious how the game would go. It just turned into Bitty watching the game and typing one or two words during commercial breaks. So far, the game showed a team that was completely different than the reporter had talked about. Mashkov was back on the ice, which seemed to help. They were playing the Bruins at home, which meant no travelling, which probably also helped after the roadie. Bitty was entranced.

The game ended with a 3-0 shutout, Jack getting a goal and an assist. Bitty smiled, feeling proud. Then he frowned. He had no reason to feel proud. Jack wasn’t his. 

Bitty looked at the clock and saw it was past nine, and gave up on his article. He sighed, and packed his bag up before heading out. He was sitting in his car, ready to drive home when he got a text. He assumed it was Lardo, so he grabbed it before starting the car in case she needed him to pick something up. Instead, he saw a message from Alicia.

(Alicia): Hi, honey, Bob and I are going to be back in town next week and were wondering if you had a game.

(Eric): Hi Alicia, I appreciate you asking, however, I haven’t talked to Jack since the game we saw together, and I just feel like it would be weird? Thanks for coming to my last game though.

Bitty didn’t receive another message from Alicia right away so he started his car and began the short drive home. As soon as he got back and walked through his door, Lardo jumped up.

“Bitty!” 

“Yes?” Bitty asked, slightly annoyed. He was tired and the message from Alicia had put him in a bad mood. 

“Guess who came into the cafe this morning,” she said cautiously.

“Lardo, I’m not in the mood.”

“Jack.”

Bitty paused and glared at Lardo, waiting for her to keep talking.

“He asked about you,” she said, still trying to judge his facial expression, which he was trying to keep as stoic as he could.

“Now, why would he do that?”

“I don’t know, but I told him to text you.”

“He didn’t,” Bitty said before turning on his heels and walking to his room, “I’m going to bed I’m tired and I have a game tomorrow.” 


	6. Chapter 6

On Friday, Bitty was out of work early. He was hyper focused at work, trying to stop himself from thinking about Jack. He decided to see if Lardo was busy, and get a chai. He hadn’t been to the cafe in a while and had some time before the game. He pushed open the door to a fairly calm cafe.

“Hey, Lardo, can I have a chai?” Bitty asked, walking to the counter. He noticed she was on her phone, texting someone. 

“One second, this is important,” she said, holding up a finger. 

Bitty raised his eyebrows. Lardo was never on her phone at work unless it was an emergency.

“You’re at work.”

“And you’re not a real customer.”

Bitty rolled his eyes and waited for Lardo to turn back to him, “Can I have a chai now?” 

Lardo smiled extra sweetly and grabbed a large cup before turning around to make Bitty’s drink. He was confused now, she usually only saved that smile for when she was meddling with something. Who could she have been texting? 

Bitty sighed as he sat down in his usual chair. He knew he wasn’t mad at Lardo. He was frustrated with Jack. He didn’t get why Jack had come in the other day to ask about him, but wouldn’t bother actually texting him. He tried to distract himself by looking over some article ideas and getting a head start on his work for next week. He was doing well until he heard someone talking to him. 

“You are drinking chai?” 

Bitty looked up to see Alexei standing next to his chair holding two drinks. 

“Oh, yes, uh, thanks,” Bitty said, taking his drink.

“I am excited to see you pl-”

“Alexei!” Lardo interrupted.

“Oh! Uh. I have to go? Bye!” Alexei said, practically running out of the cafe. 

Bitty turned towards Lardo, “What the hell was that?” 

Lardo just shrugged and busied herself with making a drink, even though there were no customers. 

“Fine, well, I have stuff to do, so I’m going to go, thanks for the chai,” Bitty said, standing.

“I’ll see you tonight at your game,” Lardo said casually. 

Bitty paused before saying, “You got tonight off?” 

“Yup, I like seeing your games, and I know it’s been a weird, so I thought I’d come support you,” Lardo said with a shrug and a smile. 

Bitty suddenly felt bad about being so cold to her earlier. Again, he knew it wasn’t Lardo, and she was always there for him. He quickly walked over and hugged Lardo across the counter. 

“Thanks, Lardo, you know I love you right?”

“Aw Bits, I love you too. Now go get ready for your game.”

As Bitty was leaving, he caught sight of Lardo’s phone on the counter, and thought he say a message from an A.Z. He convinced himself there had to be a lot of people with the initials A.Z. even though he could only name one off the top of his head. 

 

_/•\\_

 

Bitty showed up to the rink at the usual time. He expected to see Lardo in the lobby area, but was greeted by no one. He frowned, and assumed she was just running late. He went into the locker room to meet the rest of the guys. Everyone was talking amongst themselves, and there was a feeling of excitement in the room that Bitty sensed.

“Hey, guys, what’s going on?” 

“Oh, Pete ran into Alexei Mashkov earlier and just being a fanboy about it,” Dave said with a chuckle.

Bitty rolled his eyes in an affectionate way and started getting ready for the game, “I’ve met him too, and I was able to keep it from being weird.”

“Yeah, well, I’m probably Mashkov’s number one fan!” Pete said,

“I think I have a friend that might have you beat, but noted,” Bitty said laughing.

It wasn’t too long until they were all on the ice, warming up. The other team was slowly joining them on the ice as well, and it wasn’t too long until the game was set to start. The refs were getting ready for the puck drop, and Bitty still hadn’t seen Lardo. There were the few people in the stands that were usually there, Dave’s wife and son, Pete’s girlfriend, Jake’s boyfriend. Bitty frowned, but ignored it. Maybe there was traffic. 

Dave was talking to the captain of the opposing team, laughing, and other members of the team were chatting, when suddenly the PA system crackled to life. 

“Who’s ready for some HOCKEY!” an enthusiastic voice shouted. Bitty and the rest of the players on the ice looked around confused. The few people in the stands cheered and Bitty laughed. It seemed like such a small response to the loudspeaker. But suddenly, the doors to the rink flew open and dozens of people piled into the stands. They were all wearing the colors of either Bitty’s team or the other team, and everyone was shouting and cheering excitedly. The doors to the actual ice opened, and two mascots, one for each team, joined them on the ice. It felt like an actual hockey game and Bitty had no idea what was going on. Until he saw Jack. He was sitting near the ice, with Alexei, Snowy, Thirdy, and George. Behind him were Alicia, Bob, and Lardo, who waved with a knowing smile. 

Whoever was talking over the loudspeaker treated the game as if it were a NCAA game. He introduced the starting players, and hyped up the crowd. Bitty was brought back to his Samwell days. He couldn’t believe it. Once the game actually started, the crowd would cheer for both teams, and music would blast when a team scored. Each team had their own goal music, and someone had brought a bright red flashing light to go off with the goals. Bitty was having the most fun he had had in a long time. 

Right after the horn for the second intermission sounded, Jake skated up to Bitty and pointed at someone in the crowd. Bitty looked and saw Jack Zimmermann holding up a sign that read “Marry Me Eric Bittle!”. He looked a little uncomfortable, but was laughing, and Shitty was standing next to him pointing at the sign and yelling to get Bitty’s attention. Bitty rolled his eyes with a giant smile on his face and skated over to the glass. 

“ERIC BITTLE YOU FUCKING BEAUT!” Shitty yelled, before Lardo punched him on the arm. 

Bitty ignored Shitty and looked at Jack, “Nice sign.”

“I borrowed it from, eh, Shitty,” Jack said, a blush creeping up on his face. 

“Well, I like it,” Bitty said laughing.

Jack smiled, and turned the poster over, and on the other said it read “Sorry I was an idiot. Go out with me?” 

Bitty read it and then covered his face with his hands. He was partly embarrassed and partly touched, and he just started nodded.

“So, dinner tomorrow?” Jack asked nervously. 

“Yes, yes, let’s get dinner,” Bitty said, with a growing grin on his face.

 

_/•\\_

 

Bitty didn’t even mind that they lost the game.

  
  


_/•\\_

 

Bitty ran over to Jack and the rest of the Falcs after he had showered and changed. They were all standing with Shitty, Lardo, Bob and Alicia, talking about the game. Alexei was the first to spot Bitty heading over.

“Bitty! You are getting the first star for the game definitely,” Alexei said loudly, causing everyone else to turn and look at Bitty. 

“How did you guys manage that?” Bitty asked before anyone else could say anything.

“What you do you mean?” Bob said with a grin, fully aware of what Bitty meant.

“It was Jack’s idea, actually,” Thirdy filled in, ignored Bob. 

Bitty turned to Jack and put his hands on his hips, “It was your idea, huh?” 

“Oh, weird someone is calling for the rest of us, uh, over here…” Lardo said, dragging Shitty along with her, and leading the rest of the group away so Bitty and Jack could talk. 

The two watched the group go while laughing.

“Jack, how did you…”  Bitty trailed off and just waved a hand towards the crowds of people walking around the arena, talking and taking photos with the Falcs and the Zimmermann’s.

“My mom told me about how you missed the crowds and excitement from your college years, and I figured I could fix that, even if just for a day,” Jack said with a shrug. 

“But, why?” Bitty asked. 

Jack scrunched up his face, confused, “What do you mean-”

“You could have just come and talked to me, or called or texted me, what… what happened? What changed?” Bitty asked, taking on a more serious tone. 

Jack looked down at his feet for a moment before speaking, “I… I had a rough game, that day that you came to watch. And I’m still learning how to deal with that in a healthy way. There was a part of me that just assumed you wouldn’t want to be with me. I probably could have figured my shit out, but then we went on that roadie, and that was awful,” Jack paused and sighed. 

“Jack…” Bitty said, reaching out and carefully grabbing his hand.

“I’m not trying to excuse my ignoring you, that was shitty of me and I really am sorry. As soon as we got back to Providence, and I was in a more comfortable environment, I realized how silly I was being, and I went to the cafe. Lardo said you were at work, and to text you, but I didn’t know what to say in a text. ‘Hey sorry I ghosted you, lets get dinner?’ didn’t seem like it would get a great response.”

Bitty laughed at that, and Jack smiled. 

“No, I don’t supposed it would have,”  Bitty confirmed.

“Well, like I said, I talked to my mom and she gave me the idea. I thought maybe if I showed you how much I really do care, you might be more willing to hear me out. And let me apologize, again.” Jack stopped for a moment and then added, “The sign was all Shitty’s idea, and Lardo promised me you’d find it funny. Apparently, he has one with my name on it?” 

Bitty let out a loud laugh, and he could tell Jack was relaxing, “Shitty might actually be in love with you.” He squeezed Jack’s hand and continued, “Jack, this was amazing. I can’t believe you did this all for me.”

“Can you forgive me?” Jack asked quietly.

“Yes, Jack. But promise to communicate with me in the future, okay? I can’t say that I understand the kind of pressure and anxiety that comes with your life, but I want to be there for you anyway. I understand it’s not easy, but I’m patient. And look, you could score on your own team four times, and I promise I wouldn’t lose interest in you for it. I like you for you, not for your hockey playing,” Bitty answered honestly. 

“I can do that,” Jack said, pulling Bitty in closer. 

Bitty realized that the lobby had cleared out, presumably the crowds followed the Falcs out of the building. He looked up at Jack who was resting his hands on Bitty’s waist.

“Can I kiss you?” Jack all but whispered. 

Bitty nodded, and Jack leaned in to kiss him. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is kind of an epilogue, so it's a bit shorter. But thanks for to everyone who left comments and kudos and to everyone on tumblr who reblogged it! You're all the best <3

“Jack, honey, we’re going to be late,” Bitty said, buttoning up his own shirt. They were heading to Lardo and Shitty’s housewarming party, and were honestly already late. But Jack didn’t answer.

“Jack?” Bitty said again, a little louder, poking his head out of the bedroom. He listened carefully, and realized Jack was on the phone in the other room. Not wanting to be obvious with his snooping, he leaned further out of the bedroom and listened. 

“No, of course, dude. Thank you so much…. I am a little bit, but mostly excited…. Tell her I say hello and I’ll see you soon bro.”

Bitty wasn’t quick enough to duck back out of the way before Jack looked over at him. 

“Who was that, sweetie?” Bitty asked, curious as to who he’d be seeing soon. 

“Marty. He invited me and my parents over for dinner when they’re in town next week,” Jack answered casually. 

Bitty nodded, and then asked, “Should I bring a blazer?” 

Jack laughed, “Bits it’s just Shits and Lardo, you don’t need to get too fancy.”

“But Shitty’s fancy Harvard lawyer friends are going to be there!” Bitty said, without making a move to grab the blazer. It wasn’t until they were in the car that Bitty realized Jack never calls Marty ‘bro’. 

 

They pulled up to Lardo and Shitty’s new house, and walked towards the front door, with Jack’s arm casually around Bitty’s waist. It was a smaller house, but something about it seemed comforting to Bitty. He loved the color, too. He vaguely remembered telling Jack and Lardo fairly recently that he loved the color sky blue for a house. He guessed Lardo agreed. 

They approached the door, but before they even knocked, the door opened and Lardo was standing in the doorway with a full wine glass in her hand. 

“Bitty! Jack! Finally! Come in, come in.” She quickly ushered them into the living room of her new house and they were met by Shitty, Dex, Chowder, and Nursey, and no one else. 

“Uh, where is everyone else? I thought we were late, not early?” Bitty looked around and saw that the house was filled with familiar items. There were picture frames with him and the cafe guys, which seemed normal, but there were also pictures of just him and Jack. There were also NHL mementos that he knew Jack and his family had picked up along the way. The kitchen, visible from the living room, had a brand new Kitchen Aid, the make and model that Bitty had been gushing about saving up for for weeks. 

Bitty turned towards the group, confused, “Guys, what is this-”

As he spoke, Jack kneeled down onto one knee. Bitty gasped and covered his mouth. 

“I know you said that you didn’t want to officially move in together until we were at least engaged,” Jack started. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring box, “Eric Bittle, I love you more than I could ever put into words. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, starting now. Eric, will you marry me?” 

Bitty had tears in his eyes, and he couldn’t find his voice right away so he just nodded aggressively as Jack pulled the ring out and slid it onto Bitty’s finger. It was a fairly simple silver band with a blue gem that fit within the band. It was also too big. Jack laughed as the ring fell loosely on Bitty’s finger, while everyone else in the room cheered and clapped. 

Jack stood up and leaned in to kiss Bitty. As he did, Bitty said, “Of course I’ll marry you, Jack.”

After the two pulled apart, Bitty looked around and frowned.

“Jack Zimmermann, did you buy me a house as an engagement present?”

Jack laughed before answering, “Well, I bought US a house, but, eh, yeah.”

Bitty laughed, knowing he was making the decision to live with this boy for the rest of his life. And he was perfectly happy with that. 

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr at hockeyandpie!


End file.
